Real judgements, distilled
Court judgements broken down into the case type, how the decision played out, and the lesson worth remembering, with the full judgement available as a PDF.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1094
An older qualification must still satisfy the eligibility rules governing the appointment sought. Here, the certificate's early date did not secure reinstatement, and rejection of eligibility should not be confused with a conclusive finding that the certificate was forged.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1095
A party benefiting from a conditional stay must meet its deposit requirement or face enforcement. The additional ₹15 crore deposit secures the pending dispute; it does not settle the land's final compensation or amount to an immediate payment to the landowners.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1093
An alleged attempt to kill does not become a lesser offence simply because the victim avoided a fatal injury. Restoring this charge means the accusation must be tried; it does not establish that the accused is guilty.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1090
For the assessment in this case, assistance reducing ordinary manufacturing costs was taxable even though the government wanted to encourage industry. The purpose and actual operation of the particular subsidy mattered more than its general development label.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1091
Proof that someone caused a serious injury does not by itself prove the additional ingredients of robbery. A court can substitute a lesser offence supported by the evidence; the sentencing reduction here depended on Appa's particular circumstances.
Special Leave Petition (Civil) · 2026 INSC 1092
Someone challenging an election must ensure that the personal-presentation requirement is met and can be proved. Merely entering the court building does not establish compliance, and a filing defect can end the challenge before the election allegations are examined.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1088
An employee who retires on 30 June may be entitled to the increment that falls due on 1 July after completing a year of service. Authorities that delay paying the amounts due must pay interest after the deadline set by the court.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1089
Recruitment must follow the qualifications stated in the advertisement and the governing Recruitment Rules. A court will not override a merit-based eligibility decision made under those rules merely because the candidate concerned was higher in the written test.
Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8797
A person who occupied property only because of employment has no independent right to remain once the employment and decree end. Even when a petition fails, courts can make practical arrangements to let a person recover personal belongings.
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Log in to see moreDinesh Sharma's company supplied plastic compounds worth over Rs. 2.2 crore on credit to Emgee Cables and Communication Ltd. over several years, but the company failed to clear the dues, and cheques issued towards payment bounced. Sharma filed an FIR alleging cheating and criminal conspiracy against the company and its directors. The Rajasthan High Court quashed the FIR under Section 482 CrPC, treating the dispute as a purely civil/commercial matter dressed up as a criminal complaint.
The Supreme Court held the High Court erred in quashing the FIR at such an early stage. It noted that material before the Court indicated the company's directors had set up shell/dummy companies to circulate and siphon funds, conduct that was also the subject of separate Enforcement Directorate proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, which pointed to possible fraudulent intent rather than a simple payment dispute. The Court reiterated that Section 482 CrPC's inherent powers must be used sparingly and that economic offences, given their wider impact on the financial system, deserve careful investigation rather than premature dismissal. It restored the FIR for investigation and trial, clarifying its observations were only prima facie.
The mere existence of a long business relationship between two parties does not automatically make cheating allegations a "purely civil" matter. Where there is credible material suggesting deliberate fraud (such as fund diversion through shell companies), courts should allow investigation to proceed rather than quash the case at the outset.
